It was while Dawn Goldberg and Jessica Robinson were out strolling around Coral Springs, Florida, one day that they stumbled upon a business idea for making sun-protective pickleball-themed clothing
Plain And Boring
As Goldberg explains to Leon Fooksman of TapIntoCoral Springs, “There was stuff, but it was plain and boring – nothing fun.” They spotted a gap in the market for eye-catching, colorful apparel like shirts and hats sporting quirky lines such as “Dink On” and “Sweaty Balls.”
And hey, presto, their brainchild, “Inky Dink Do,” came to life this summer, aiming to integrate the joy, competition, and sociability intrinsic to pickleball into their apparel.
“Pickleball is all about fun, competing, and being social with friends, and that’s our goal here,” said Robinson.
“My Parents Are Dinking Again”
Operating from their homes in the Heron Bay community, they set up a website, established an LLC, and crafted amusing graphics for shirts, hats, bags, towels, tumblers, and even baby onesies.
For instance, a women’s T-shirt boasts “Who’s Serving?” with a pickleball ball replacing the letter “o” and a martini glass over the letter “v.” Meanwhile, “My Parents Are Dinking Again” adorns a onesie. Their goal is to encourage fun on and off the pickleball courts.
The duo has a shared vision about pickleball being a vehicle for camaraderie, using amusing phrases on clothing and gear to unite people.
Two Fields Of Expertise
Unsurprisingly, their friendship came about from chance encounters on the pickleball court, where Robinson, having recently relocated from New York, was looking for new people to meet. “I didn’t know anyone, and I was invited to play,” she said. “It was fun and really easy to meet new people.”
Consequently, Robinson, 51, who is experienced in launching brands in the food and beverage industry, teamed up with Goldberg, 52, a creative third-grade teacher from Pennsylvania now residing in Florida.
Combining their two fields of expertise, they embarked on this new venture, riding the wave of pickleball’s soaring popularity.
Steadily Gaining Traction
Their catalog of approximately 40 items is steadily gaining traction, prompting ambitious plans to collaborate with pickleball groups and influencers.
Looking ahead, they envision expanding their humorous apparel to golf, tennis, and beyond. But for now, they’re dedicated to crafting fresh designs and, naturally, playing the game that brought them together.
Learn more about their company at inkydinkdo.com.
The company has also partnered up with pickleball paddle manufacturer ACE and is offering a 10% discount with code IndyDinkDo10. They are also offering Black Friday deals.
UV Protective Clothing
Clothing designed for UV protection functions by absorbing or blocking harmful UV radiation, proving to be an effective shield against sun damage and the risk of skin cancer.
The Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) serves as an indicator of a fabric’s ability to allow UV radiation, encompassing both UVB and UVA, to reach the skin. For instance, a fabric with a UPF of 50 blocks about 98 percent of the sun’s rays while permitting only two percent (1/50th) to penetrate. This significantly reduces the risk of exposure.
Key points to consider: The Skin Cancer Foundation’s Seal of Recommendation requires a fabric to possess a UPF of 30 or higher. UPF ratings between 30 and 49 offer notably good protection, whereas a UPF of 50+ is deemed excellent.
UPF essentially gauges the level of UV radiation capable of penetrating the fabric and reaching the skin. Conversely, the Sun Protection Factor (SPF) determines the duration it takes for UV-exposed skin to redden.
For instance, if skin burns after 20 minutes, properly used SPF 15 sunscreen might offer protection for 15 times that duration.
